Karwar is a port town tucked between the sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other, Karwar is an unexplored destination. An attempt is made to List the Tourism Potential and all the Good things that one can see and do and explore in Karwar.
The action of the Uttara Kannada district administration of handing over the middle part of the Karwar beach to the Defence department has kicked up a new controversy. The Defence department has put up a board restricting entry to the beach.
Fourteen acres of revenue land on Karwar beach was handed over to the Coast Guard to build an office there, said K.. Narasimhamurthy, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada.
What surprised people was the secrecy maintained by the Revenue Department officials on the whole process, said Rajesh Nayak, president of the Karwar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit. After acquisition of the major part of the beaches in Karwar for the Seabird project, the people of Karwar were left with a small stretch of the beach. The Revenue Department officials should have consulted the public, fishermen and the social and political organisations before handing it over. What was the reason for secrecy that they maintained in the whole deal, said Mr. Nayak. Gaja Surangekar, a fishermen leader, said the district administration had cheated the fishermen who had been using the beaches for fishing for centuries. He said that the people came to know about the transfer of land only on Tuesday when the signboards were put up. “We will launch an agitation and never allow them to snatch our right to use the sea shore,” he said.
Ratan Durgekar, a morning jogger on the beach, criticised the officials of the district administration. He said when thousands of acres of land acquired for project Seabird still remained unused in Karwar, what was the necessity to hand over a new piece of land in the civilian area to the Defence department? He said the people living around the Seabird project area faced several restrictions. A Defence office in civilian area would create more problems for the citizens of Karwar. The Tourism Department was showcasing Karwar beach to attract tourists. About Rs. 5 crore project was prepared by the district administration itself to develop the beach. Officials of the National Highway Department, who worked on the four-lanes highway that passed through the same area were unaware of land transfer. The area where the signboard was put by the Coast Guard covered forestland.
A senior Forest Department official pleaded his ignorance about this. He said that part of land on the beach belonged to the Forest Department and survey no. 108 on the beach was a forest as per records.
The projects like “green wall” on Karwar beach was taken up by the Forest Department to stop the sea erosion, sea breeze and sand accumulation on the road. Now the Defence area in forestland might create problems to implement these projects, he said.
Many beach lovers, environmentalists and fishermen organisations have threatened to launch agitation against the district administration for handing over the beach area to the Coast Guard.
North Karnataka with rich history, tradition, natural resources, still not overcome issues like Border issue, Regional Imbalance, Emerges as terror hub.
North Karnataka has been severely lagging from all aspects of development.
There is a backwardness in everything fields like Infrastructure, Education, Economy, Government facilities, Rail links, Road transport, Airports, Tourism many more. Border Dispute
Even though the Kannada Dynasties Kadamba, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Vijayanagara Empire ruled the Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and also the parts of Gujarath. The impact of Kannada is clearly visible in the names of the places, Kannada words used in there literature.
If we trace the history of the Maratha empire, not much difference between
Kannadigas and Marathis and should live together as friends and not enemies.
Karnataka Kshatriya Maratha Parishat clearly said
* The Maharashtra Government should accept the Mahajan Commission report on the boundary issue and Belgaum was part of Karnataka .
* All Marathi speaking people in Karnataka were safe and were living peacefully with Kannadigas.
Maharashtra Claim
Maharashtra laid claim to over 800 villages in Karnataka in Bidar, Belgaum and North Kanara districts.
Boundary dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra arose over the demarcation of the boundary between both States by the States Reorganisation Act 1956.
Attempt to redemarcation of the boundaries on uniform principles, Discussions and protracted correspondence between the Chief Ministers of two States and even the appointment of a 4 member committee (in 1960) failed. Then Senapathy Bapat, a freedom fighter, and 3 other Maharashtra leaders went on a fast unto death demanding the resolution of the dispute. In October 1966, the Government of India appointed the third Chief Justice of India, Mehr Chand Mahajan, to make recommendations to solve the dispute.
Of the 865 villages and towns villages claimed by Maharashtra, the Commission recommended
(which submitted its report in August 1967) the transfer of 264 villages be transferred from Karnataka. Of the 516 villages claimed by Karnataka, the Commission recommended the transfer of 247 from Maharashtra.
Maharashtra refused to accept the Mahajan Commission Report, But Karnataka accepted the report. Facts from History
* Historically North Kanara or Uttara Kannada was part of the great Kannada Empires. Initially the Kadamba Dynasty (350 - 525CE). Later the Chalukya Dynasty. Then a succession of dynasties such as the Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara Empire ruled.
* Kavirajamarga (The 9th century writing) refers to the entire area between the Kaveri River and the Godavari River as Kannada country, that implys that the language was popular farther north in present day Maharashtra. Owing to its popularity in modern Maharashtra during medieval times, Kannada has had an influence on the Gujarati language also.
* Inscribed stones and copper plates, found in the neighbouring districts of Ratnagiri and Belganv as well as the state of Kolhapur, inform us that Satara and south Maharashtra, between 550 and 753 A.D. were held by Badami Chalukyas
* People who speak Kannada now have a majority in Belgaum city.
*Kannada Roots of Shivaji : Baliyappa or Balli, an ancestor of Shivaji came from Sorturu in Gadag District in present day Karnataka (North Karnataka) and not from Sorat from Sourashtra.
* The dynastic surname Bhosle or Bhosale of Shivaji, is a derivative of Hoysala Kannada rulers of Karnataka.
* Maharastra Gazetteer on Kolhapur clearly indicates that it was belongs to Kannadigas. Mahalaxmi temple (9th Century) at Kolhapur, Construction initiated by Kannada Rashtrakutas. The oldest part of the temple was the work of the Kannada Early Chalukyas. Within the temple area, below the carved ceiling are standing figures of Jain Tirthankars with inscriptions carved along in an old form of Kannada Language (Hale Kannada).
* At Ajanta and Ellora cave temples you can notice Some of the paintings those belongs to Kannada dynasty Chalukya.
* Kailash temple in Ellora was built by the kannada dynasty Rastrakutas.
* In Maharashtra after the fall of Vakatakas, South Maharashtra was lost to the Kadambasand North Maharashtra was lost to Kalachuris. The new religion of Basavanna had set a great religious revolution there. Basavanna settled down at Sangameshvar in the Ratnagiri district, propounding Shaivism (Veerashaivism) called the Virashaivas.
* The greatness of Vijayanagara Empire and glory of Kannada valour which spread beyond Maharashtra in earlier age.
* Marathi is actually a mongrel language combining the old Dravidian vernacular of the region which would have been close to Kannada and Telugu and the actual Maharashtri Prakrit and Sanskrit. For WORDS OF DRAVIDIAN ORIGIN IN MARATHI CORE VOCABULARY refer [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~fsouth/DravidianElement.pdf]
* During the region of Nanda-Maurya, Kannada got established as a separate language from Proto-Dravidian.
* Kadambas are earliest sovereigns in Karnataka and they had sway over major part of Karnataka, and parts of Goa and Maharashtra.
Kannada impact on Marathi
* Most of the words of Dravidian origin in Marathi appear to come from the languages immediately to the south, that is Kannada Kodagu Tulu.
* Kannada words are the highest in Marathi, spoken under Yadavas (1180-1320).
* Marathi inscriptions of 1222 in Kannada script at Khandoli.
* Marathi was influenced by Kannada and that many Kannada words are found in Jnaneshvari.
* The popular deities of Maharashtra Vitthala, Mahalaxmi, Tulajabhavani and Khandoba have their origin in Karnataka.
* Pune (Punnaka) 8th century, The earliest evidence of copper plates dating 758 AD and 768 AD reveals that this region was ruled by the Kannada Kingdom Rashtrakuta.
* Areas between the Narmada River in the north and Kaveri River in the south came under Kannada dynasty Chalukya.
* Political history of Maharashtra shows use of Kannada) for administrative purposes.
* The Code of Law Document (1670), on the arrival of the Portuguese, was translated into Persian and Kannada (Kanarese).
* In 1810, Stuart M. Elphinston, who became Governor of Bombay, was given a citation in Kannada.
* Going by the influence of Kannada language and culture, Belgaum should have been the State capital. Belgaum border dispute Facts from History
* In the past Belgaum was known as Venugrama (means Bamboo village). Evident from the remains of monuments found here, it was a part of the Chalukya Empire(6th to 8th century).
* The history of Belgaum (12th and 13th century), was built and ruled by local rulers called Rattas of Saundatti and they built Belgaum fort.
* Belgaum was later ruled by the Yadavas of Devangiri and then became a part of the great Vijaynagar Empire.
* Belgaum is a Karmabhoomi of Rani Chennamma (First woman freedom fighter of the India, In 1824, ignited the spark of the freedom struggle) of Kittur. Mahajan Commission
The Central government in 1966 constituted a commission, headed by third CJI Meher Chand Mahajan
, to solve the border dispute between Karnataka and Maharastra. Mahajan Commission had recommended exchange of several villages between Karnataka and Maharastra, but rejected Maharashtra claim on Belgaum. Politicising the issue
Belgaum Kannada Marathi people are peace loving, Marathi people know Kannada and Kanndiga also speak Marathi and respect each other. But
generally during elections time MES and Shivsena activities again and again raked the border issue.
There is no point in politicising the issue, Belgaum is an integral part of Karnataka and has been
accepted by Government of Karnataka as per the Mahajan Commission report. Goa Claim
Claim made by Goa Konkani Rajya Ekikaran Manch, on Karwar, Supa and Haliyal in North Karnataka Fact from History
* So many Kannda words are in use in Konkani.
* Goa was ruled by Kadamba Dynasty Kannada kingdom, having its capital at Halasi in Khanapur taluka of Belgaum District.
* Konkani was written in Kannada script in Goa historically for a long time.
* Kadambas of Banavasi won over some parts of Goa. The province of Goa was later occupied by two important Kannada dynasties, the Badami Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas. Goa saw a great development during this period and established itself as an important business center. Subsequent rulers of Goa, the Kadambas of Goa, actually had Chandavar in Uttara Kannada District as their capital. Regional Imbalance
Due to the Development activities are concentrated around Bangalore and Mysore.
North Karnataka remains underdeveloped. Due to this, the migration into Bangalore
and to other parts of India increasing. A High Power Committee for redressal of regional imbalances had been set up to study this issue.
It had made several recommendations. The report had stated that at
least Rs 31,000 crore had to be spent for North Karnataka. Nanjundappa Committee report
S.M. Krishna constituted the Nanjundappa Committee, to study and recommend a comprehensive development programme
to remove regional imbalance in North Karnataka districts.
Nanjundappa Committee report recommended investment of Rs. 16,000 crore over the 5 years to boost development.
No major action taken on the report after promises were made for the development of North Karnataka. History and Tourism
With the grace of the Dynasties like Kadamba, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Vijayanagara Empire, Deccan Sultanates. North Karnataka region has Thousands of group of monuments that include Temples, Basadi, Stupa, Gumbaj, Tomb.
Due the negligence of the Government of Karnataka, Government of India, Archeological Survey of India and Tourism Department, the places like Sannati Lakkundi, Aihole, Anegundi, Bidar, Gadag, Sudi, Hangal, Halasi, Chaudayyadanapura, Galaganatha many more are still waiting for the basic facilities like Compound, Garden, Guard.
North Karnataka would have been the Tourism Paradise of India, but still waiting for the basic facilities. Neglected in Railway and Union Budgets
In Every Union and Railway budgets North Karnataka successively neglected.
A budget comes and goes with no positive news for North Karnataka.
Karnataka particularly North Karnataka's railway infrastructure is pathetic. Last 5 years Indian Union and Railways budgets are just meant for North India, Tamilnadu and Bihar. North Karnataka emerges as terror hub
North Karnataka has emerged as the hotbed for terror activity, according to intelligence sources.
North Karnataka is looked upon as a safe haven by terror groups. There is a huge SIMI presence in North Karnataka, and it has emerged as the most preferred destination after Hyderabad. After the heat was stepped in Hyderabad following blasts there, SIMI gradually moved into North Karnataka. Hubli-Dharwad and Bijapur as key destinations for SIMI.
A majority of the sleeper cells in Karnataka are in this region, These areas have huge populations of migrants, mainly from Kashmir, Bangladesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. While it is unfair to generalise that all migrants are into terrorism.
North Karnataka has been a preferred hub for terrorist for many years now. Terror training camps had been set up in the forests of North Karnataka. North Karnataka also played host to the crucial meeting termed as the Castle Rock meeting in Hubli. North Karnataka representative’s negligence
Politicians visit people of North Karnataka every time during elections and make huge castle election promises. But no representative and no party has ever done any significant development for North Karnataka. It is still the forgotten and neglected part of the state even after 50 years. Opportunist politicians and all burning issues which politicians are not even having a glance on them. North Karnataka as a separate State
Karnataka the moderately developed State, but the districts of
North Karnataka severely lag behind South and Coastal Karnataka.
In terms of Education, Health, Infrastructure, Economy, Drought.
Karnataka government has itself recognised this many times but not done much to develop.
The reasons for backwardness is Negligence.
In other words, historical neglect and continuing neglect by successive State Government. Packages have not helped, because development doesn’t come in Packages. Development requires a set of leaders dedicated to the cause of their respective constituencies.
North Karnataka’s problem has been a governance deficit that has led to North Karnataka as a separate State.
Cuisine of Karwar, a small town on the western coast of India, just south of Goa, is unique in its taste, flavour and variety. People ofKarwar have spread over different parts of India and the world in search of employment and livelihood. But the karwar Diaspora, no matter where it exists cares for the food of the native land. Their mouth waters the moment somebody mentions the Karwari dishes.
There are books on Goa cuisine which is therefore well advertised but Karwar cuisine is less known. Though it may have similarities to Goa cuisine, it is distinct. Goa was under Portuguese rule for five hundred years and this inevitably affected the content and the style of cooking with the inevitable impact of the Portuguese food style. But Karwar cuisine has retained its pristine purity and traditional favour. the Malwani food in south Konkan is similar in some respects. But Karwar food has its own tongue- tingling and mouth-watering quality. It is quite distinct from the food of the neighboring Karnataka and Maharashtra states. Karwar food deserves to be widely known and its dishes made accessible to not only the Karwar Diaspora but also all the lovers of good food the world over.
Local crops and products, fruits and vegetables inevitably enter into the cuisine of the people. Rice, cocoanuts and the fish are naturally the main ingredients of Karwar food but it is enriched by wide varieties of fruits, nuts, vegetables, leaves and spices.
Rice: rice is locally grown since the crop requires heavy rains, which Karwar is blessed with. The locally grown parboiled rice ( ukado tandul) is used for rice gruel ( pej) for mid-morning meal. Rice ripens around Dasara-Diwali time (month of October) and appears in the market. It is stored in the house in hugemoodos (baskets made of dry paddy stalks) for use through the rainy season till the next crop is available.
Cocoanuts:Every Karwari house would normally have a grove of cocoanut trees in the backyard. Cocoanuts are used in abundance in Karwari cuisine to produce a variety of curries, chutney and sweet dishes like patoli, modak and madgane. A traditional house has a ragada, a stone artifact that is used to mash cocoanuts flesh. Cocoanut milk is an input to sweet dishes like payas and madgane. It is mixed with jaggary made from local sugarcane which serves asros cakes made of rice are dipped and eaten. Cocoanut when dried up becomes copra which when crushed becomes oil which is a medium for cooking. Fish fried in cocoanut oil gets an aroma and taste of its own.
Fish:A wide variety of fish is the treasure provided by the sea the estuaries. Karwar fishermen spread the early in the day and the fisherwomen bring the fresh fish to sell in the morning bazaar. The head of the household personally goes to buy the fresh fish according to the liking of his family members. Often he successfully bargains with the fisherwoman about the price. A successful purchase of quality fish at a bargain price becomes a matter of boast in an animated morning conversation with friends and neighbours. Bangada ( macharel) Tarala (sardine) are the fish most abundantly available as reasonable prices. Paplet( pomphret), Visvan or Surmai( king fish) Ravas, Shevate are bigger fish each with its own taste. Nagali found in estuaries are a delicate fish and is aptly called Lady’s Finger. Sungata (prons), Tisryo (shall fish) Kalwa (rock fish or mussels) and Kurlyo (crab) each has its own flavour and taste. Winter (November to January)
Is the best season for fish-lovers? The fish is abundant and appetite is demanding. During the rainy season, fishermen cannot enter the turbulent sea to catch fish. So fresh fish – bangada, sungata and mori (shark)- is dried in the summer season on the road under the hot burning sun and stored for use in the rainy season. They are carried in bundles by visiting Karwaris who live in places where fresh fish is not available. Kismore made of dried bangada, sungata and mori is more delicious.
Fruits: mango is rightly called the king of fruits. Everybody knows about Ratnagiri Alfanso (hapus), which is exported to up country market of Mumbai and from there to Dubai and other foreign lands. American president Bush relished the alfanso mango during his visit in India and hoped that the mango will be exported to US also. But Karwar varieties of mangoes are quite different and are unique in taste and flavour. Karwaris will not exchange them for any other variety. First are ishadth, kalo (black) and dhavo (white).They are full of sweet pulp. There is musrad big in size and with special flavour. Third is fernadfirm in flesh and easy to cut into pieces. Karwar meal cannot conclude in the summer season without a plateful of pieces of these mangoes. Summer is the season when mangoes arrive in abundance in the market. Amras-puri is a favorite dish in a summer season meal. Beside there are also small juicy mangoes, which are used to prepare sasav, a special dish of Karwar. Mango curries flavoured with ghalani are also a favorite. Wild mango trees, grown in forest provide an abundance of raw mangoes, which are collected in early season to produce whole mango pickle besides a variety of other pickles. Mango juice is dried in the sun and made into flakes –sath for relishing the taste of mango long after the mango season is over.
Jackfruit: Like mangoes, jackfruits also ripen in summer. Huge jackfruits hang in bunch from the jackfruit trees. Every household compound has a tree or two. The green exterior with small spikes hides a treasure of golden ( garas) that is sweet flesh covering large seeds neatly packed inside. The huge fruit is ripped open with a knife and with oil smeared hands, lest the glue( cheek) sticks, thegaras are taken out to be consumed at leisure. There are two types of jackfruits – kappa and baraka. Garas of kappa are crisp and delight to relish. Those of baraka are juicy and are used to prepare relishing patolis – a pancake steamed in a covering of haldi (turmeric) leaves. Patolis are eaten steam-hot with dollop of ghee melting over it. The jackfruit seed ( bikan) is used as an additional input to curries.
Bananas: Bananas are a common fruit in India but the standard banana sold in the market is with green skin. But those in Karwar, smaller in size are golden in colour, sweeter and fragrant. Bananas are eaten fresh after the meal but are also turned into sasav, a sweet, sour, pungent dish.
Cashews: Summer is also the season for cashew nuts. Very few know that cashew nut appears on the top of the cashew apple resplendent in its red hue. Cashew apple is nice in taste but can hardly compete with mangoes and bananas. It is the cashew nut that is more coveted. A thick exterior covers the nut which is roasted on fire (nowadays it is done in cashew factory) the cover removed and the nut taken out for eating. The nut has a crisp brown cover, which is easily removed with fingers. There is hardly any nut as delicious as cashew nuts. It is eaten as it is or salted or spiced. It is also mixed with variety of preparations like sweets such as madgane and kheer or savouries like phov and muga- ambat( green gram curry). Cashew nut is the ingredients of katli sold by the famous Chitale shop in Pune.
Ananas (pinapple): This is also summer season fruit. Its rough exterior cover is removed to reveal a sweet sour interior, which is sliced and eaten. The slices are canned and its juice tinned. Karwaris use the ananas for sasav and bhaji.
Chibud (melons): These again are available round Dasara-Diwali time. They are eaten mixed with phov, coconut and jaggery.
Vegetables: coastal areas are not known for modern vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower or green peas, which require cooler climate not available in Karwar’s coastal climate, which is warm and humid. But there are distinct local vegetables.
Neerfanas ( breadfruit) : though called a fruit it is indeed a vegetable. Green in colour like jackfruit but much smaller and round in shape. They appear on the branches of a huge tree with its artistic leaves. Their skin is peeled off to reveal a whitish flesh inside which is sliced and shallow-fried. These are called phodies a typical Karwar dish which is very delicious. A tasty bhajis- suki ( dry) and patal( saucy) is also made combined with vatana (dried white whole peas)
Mage: This is a typical fruit vegetable of Karwar – like the people of Karwar, soft and somewhat sweetish whose liquid bhaji mixed with vatana (dry peas) or ghalani and coconut paste is a great delight.
Vali-bhaji ( local spinach): This is a leafy vegetable whose bhaji mixed with dry shrimps is an ideal accompaniment to mid-morning pej( rice gruel). It is rich in iron.
Tambadi ( red) bhaji: this is another leafy vegetable of Karwar, which is often flavoured with lasun( garlic)
Toushe (cucumber): This is often used as an input to a delightful home made cake eaten with dollops of ghee.
Ambade: This sour fruit vegetable is put in a special curry called udadmethi, which tingles the tongue.
Leguminous crops:
Mug(green gram): are sprouted and are used as an input to a most popular vegetarian curry flavoured with phodani palo (curry leaves) and enriched with cashew nuts. It is eaten with rice and is a must at wedding feast and other ceremonial occasions. Usal is another dish flavoured with fresh coconut gratings. Mug is nutritious.
Spices:
Chilli: Bydagi variety, grown in neighbouring Dharwar district is invariably used for all types of curries –vegetarian or fish. Byadagi gives the red tinge and taste to the curries but is not pungent.
Tepal (Trifal): It is an essential input in many fish, specially Bangada( maceral), tarala( sardin)and vegetarian curries. It leaves unforgettable taste in the mouth. While raw they are green in colour but on drying assume a black tinge. Dried tepalas are stored and used for months together.
Sola- bhiranda and vatamba. They are grown wild and are plucked and dried. They are used to add sour taste to the curry. Red Bhirandas are used for sola kadhi, which has the cooling effect and is in demand in summer.
Haladi( turmeric) leaves: the aromatic leaves are used to cover the sweet pancake-patoli.
Cooking utensils and procedures:
Karwari cuisine has its own cook-wear i.e. modak-patr for steaming patoli and heet and special frying pan for cooking yerrapes. Kashya vessels for prparation of fish curries.
It has also unique cooking procedures i.e. dhuvan for smoking viangan( brinjal) bharit and kismore. A burning coal with coconut oil poured on it is covered with bharit or kismore, which them assume a delightful flavour.
Karwar cuisine- a tradition
Karwar cuisine is a tradition that is evolved from generation to generation and is a part of Karwari way of life. A Karwari housewife does not mechanically follow written prescriptions and formulae in a recipe book but relies on her own uncanny judgment of taste and flavour. She passes on her skill to daughters and daughters-in –law. Things have undergone a change in recent years. Girls are getting educated even up to the highest levels of education – graduate and even post-graduate. They get less time in the kitchen. They take jobs, which keep them engaged for hours on in the office. They do not find it possible to spare time for preparing dishes involving elaborate processing. They would like them to be available at some restaurant or hotel but latter are seldom familiar with the delicacies and nuances of Karwar cuisine. Hence the need for a recipe book on Karwar cuisine. We hope our book will be widely used.
